Interesting -- reusable -- firestarter

instructions for vaseline candle

You can do the same thing with a petroleum jelly gauze dressing. Used to use it as a "handwarmer" in the bush, it (still is) part of most of the US Army's first aid kits.

This is a 3"x18" petroleum jelly soaked gauze in an aluminized foil package.

If I recall correctly, Les Stroud made one in his urban disasters show. He smeared vaseline on either a tissue or a piece of paper or both. I don't really remember. Then he rolled it up tight and lit it up.

Yes, it is very simple and works well. I like carry some in my kit.

I have used small amounts of melted wax in a cotton ball. Very effective. I keep several in my BOB.

I'm using beeswax soaked shredded paper blocks as my current firestarter. Works great, smells great

Yes, I like these little cottonball firestarters in a film can. However, a small can of lighter fluid will make anything flame, is less messy, lasts a long time, takes up little more space, and one tiny little spark will get it going. Just being a devil's advocate.

I cut corregated cardboard into strips so that the hollow corregation tubes run crosswise, roll 'em up, soak 'em in melted parrafin, and wrap in wax paper. They make great, easy lighting, long burning firestarters.

Jeff

Not DIY, but I swear by Lightnin' Bug Firestarters and REI Storm Proof Matches. The storm-proof matches are like road flares -- you can submerge them and they won't go out. The one trick with the firestarters is to place them convex side *down* on the surface. They're wobbly, but have more surface area to burn. They last 7 minutes, which has always been long enough to dry out whatever I'm lighting enough to start a fire.

A bottle of GI insect repellant will do the same thing, plus keep the 'skeeters away from you...